University climbing societies

69 student-run climbing, mountaineering and hillwalking societies across the UK · 12 confirmed BMC-affiliated. Usually the cheapest way to start climbing — most include gear loan, coached sessions and subsidised trips.

East Midlands

East of England

  • Cambridge University Mountaineering Club (CUMC)

    University of Cambridge · Cambridge

    Founded in 1905, CUMC is one of the oldest climbing clubs in Britain, catering to a broad range of climbing tastes including indoor climbing, bouldering, rock climbing, ice climbing and alpine climbing, with commitment levels from casual to competitive.

    Meets: Weekly indoor climbing meets during term; a full weekend meet once a term (often to the Peak District); competitive indoor bouldering team competes in LUBE and BUCS

    WebsiteStudents' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    president@cumc.org.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • UEA Mountaineering Club

    University of East Anglia · Norwich

    The oldest club at UEA, originally the 'Fell & Caving Club', now focused on scrambling, hiking, rambling and climbing on UK mountains and trails, welcoming all experience levels from beginner to experienced.

    Meets: Weekend trips to the Lake District, Snowdonia and Peak District; biennial (odd years) international trips to the Alps, Balkans and Atlas Mountains

    Fee: £60 (UEA+Sport membership)

    Students' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    uea.mountaineering@uea.ac.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • University of Essex Climbing Club (UECC)

    University of Essex · Colchester

    A student-led club for current and past students and staff, offering a welcoming community for climbers of all levels and backgrounds, combining indoor practice with UK outdoor climbing trips.

    Meets: Practice sessions at the University Sports Centre indoor rock wall; regular outdoor trips to UK destinations including the Peak District, Yorkshire and Avon

    InstagramFacebook

    Verified source ↗

London

North East

North West

Northern Ireland

Scotland

South East

  • Royal Holloway Climbing Society

    Royal Holloway University of London · Egham

    BMC affiliated

    An active indoor-and-outdoor climbing society with twice-weekly gym sessions, termly outdoor trips and a lively social calendar of pub nights and socials.

    Meets: Wednesday afternoons at Blue Spider (Guildford) and Friday evenings at The Font (Hounslow); termly outdoor trips to Wales, Cheddar Gorge/Peak District and Portland

    Fee: £40/year (includes BMC club membership, insurance, and access to shared club gear)

    Students' Union pageWhatsApp groupInstagram

    climbing@royalholloway.su

    Verified source ↗

  • University of Kent Climbing Mountaineering Club (UKCMC)

    University of Kent · Canterbury

    A friendly, inclusive sports club focused on the outdoors, climbing and anything mountaineering-related, welcoming everyone from absolute beginners to experienced climbers, with trips to Snowdonia, Cheddar Gorge, the Peak District and Southern Sandstone.

    Meets: Monday bouldering at Chimera Canterbury from 7pm; Thursday bouldering at Chimera Chatham from 6pm; bi-weekly trips during term

    Students' Union pageWhatsApp groupInstagramFacebook

    Verified source ↗

  • Oxford University Mountaineering Club (OUMC)

    University of Oxford · Oxford

    BMC affiliated

    Founded in 1909, OUMC is one of the oldest and most active mountaineering clubs in the world, open to students, staff and non-affiliated members of all experience levels, with weekend meets, weekly indoor sessions and social events. It is a BMC-affiliated club.

    Meets: Wednesday pub socials at The Gardners Arms; weekly bouldering wall sessions at Iffley Sports Centre; regular weekend meets around the UK during term

    Fee: £35/year for students joining in Michaelmas term (£30 if joining Jan-Sept); £12 one-time trial membership valid to end of term; £40 non-student annual

    WebsiteInstagramFacebook

    treasurer@oumc.co.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • Climbing Club (UoP Sport)

    University of Portsmouth · Portsmouth

    A UoP Sport climbing club for University of Portsmouth students; membership cycles open/close seasonally each academic year (25/26 memberships were closed at time of research, reopening in September).

    Students' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    Verified source ↗

  • Reading University Mountaineering Club (RUMC)

    University of Reading · Reading

    BMC affiliated

    RUMC brings together a community of climbers of all abilities with weekly wall sessions and regular trips to locations including Portland, the Peak District and Snowdonia. BMC membership is included for 2025-26.

    Meets: Weekly climbing meetups on Tuesday and Thursday evenings

    Fee: £35 for students; £45 for staff and alumni

    Students' Union pageInstagram

    Verified source ↗

  • Southampton University Mountaineering Club (SUMC)

    University of Southampton · Southampton

    BMC affiliated

    SUMC offers bouldering, climbing and mountaineering at indoor and outdoor venues, with trips to sea cliffs and crags around the UK and Europe including Scottish winter climbing and the Alps. The club is BMC affiliated and welcomes complete beginners.

    Meets: Subsidised fortnightly weekend meets around the country, Friday evening to Sunday night; weekly climbing sessions and socials

    Fee: Purchased via SUSU Box Office (price not published on site)

    WebsiteStudents' Union pageInstagramFacebook: SUMountaineers (Facebook group and page)

    info@sumc.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • University of Surrey Mountaineering Club (USMC)

    University of Surrey · Guildford

    USMC introduces new members to climbing while welcoming experienced climbers, organising cost-effective trips from local day trips to week-long camps in the French Alps. The club is Team Surrey affiliated and competes in BUCS.

    Meets: Monday 19:00-21:00, Wednesday 15:00-17:00 and Friday 19:00-21:00 sessions at Surrey Summit climbing wall

    Fee: Requires Team Surrey Membership (price not published on the page found)

    Students' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    ussu.mountaineering@surrey.ac.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • University of Sussex Mountaineering Club

    University of Sussex · Brighton (Falmer)

    The climbing and alpinism club for Sussex students, welcoming complete beginners through experienced climbers, running four trips a year - two in the UK (e.g. Portland, Peak District, Wales) and two international (Spain, France, Czechia, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Croatia).

    Meets: Free climbing sessions at High Sports every Wednesday; discounted sessions at Boulder Brighton every Sunday

    Students' Union pageWhatsApp groupInstagramFacebook: SussexMountaineering

    Verified source ↗

South West

  • Climbing Club (SUBU)

    Bournemouth University · Poole

    BMC affiliated

    A SUBU club (open to both BU and AUB students) welcoming climbers of all levels, offering cheap club trips around the UK, gear loans, weekly socials and a competition team; membership includes BMC insurance and has won multiple Club of the Year awards.

    Meets: Wednesday 14:00-16:00 and Sunday 15:45-17:45 bouldering sessions at The Project Climbing Centre, Poole

    Fee: Indoor Standard/Associate £25; AUB Student £50; reduced rate after January £35; outdoor add-on £20

    Students' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    subuclimbingclub@bournemouth.ac.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • Bath University Mountaineering Club (BUMC)

    University of Bath · Bath

    One of the most active clubs at Bath, BUMC offers walking, climbing, orienteering and mountaineering for all abilities, including subsidised trips, free equipment hire, skills training and BUCS competition teams for climbing and orienteering.

    Meets: Thursday pub socials at a rotating venue; Saturday morning navigation training; midweek/weekend indoor climbing sessions at Bristol walls; fortnightly Sunday walks near Bath

    WebsiteInstagramFacebook

    su-mountaineering@bath.ac.uk

    Verified source ↗

  • University of Bristol Mountaineering Club (UBMC)

    University of Bristol · Bristol

    Established in 1951, UBMC is a strong community of student climbers and mountaineers, running indoor instruction, UK trips (e.g. Peak District, Snowdonia), annual international expeditions and BUCS competition climbing.

    Meets: Weekly indoor climbing sessions and local outdoor climbing around Bristol; committee members provide free sport-climbing instruction with club gear

    WebsiteStudents' Union pageInstagramFacebook

    Verified source ↗

  • Exeter University Climbing Club

    University of Exeter · Exeter

    BMC affiliated

    A friendly, student-run climbing club offering discounted indoor sessions, free coaching from trained committee members, fortnightly outdoor trips, an annual week-long trip to France, and free BMC membership included with club membership.

    Meets: Wednesday 4-7pm and Friday 7-10pm at Quay Climbing Centre; also sessions at BoulderExe and discounted Monday rate at The Barn Climbing Centre

    Fee: £50 new members / £45 returning members, covering all 3 terms

    WebsiteInstagramFacebook

    Verified source ↗

  • UWE Climbing Society (Team UWE Climbing)

    University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) · Bristol

    A mixed club of easy-going and friendly people whose aim is to go climbing and have fun, welcoming climbers of all abilities with free harness loans on campus and outdoor trips across the UK.

    Meets: Monday 17:00-19:00 top-rope wall at Centre For Sport (on campus); Wednesday 13:00-16:00 at TCA The Church; Thursday 17:00-19:00 top-rope at Centre For Sport; Friday 13:00-16:00 bouldering at TCA The Mothership

    Fee: £50 per year

    Students' Union pageInstagramFacebook: UWE Climbing Club (Facebook group, name only - no direct link confirmed)

    uweclimbing1@gmail.com

    Verified source ↗

Wales

West Midlands

Yorkshire

Societies open and close membership sales, change gyms and rebrand every year — treat this as a starting point, not gospel, and check the club's own page before paying a fee. Missing your university, or something's out of date? Let us know.